Defending Division II national champion Harding (Arkansas) expected to ink 'best class in Bison history' featuring multiple in-state prospects
Harding University became the first Arkansas college to win a national championship in over three decades following December's dominant victory over Colorado School of Mines in the NCAAA Division II finals that secured a 15-0 finish.
The Bisons stand alone as the only team in the history of college football for all divisions to surpass 6,000 rushing yards in a season, including 502 in title game against the Orediggers.
With a large portion of last season's production returning, Harding will likely be the favorite to repeat, but they are looking ahead and building for the future. That appears promising as head coach Paul Simmons referred to the 2024 recruiting class as "the best signing class in Bison history."
Of the 2024 signees who plan to sign, 15 are high school prospects from 'The Natural State', along with one coming to Searcy via a transfer. Some of them chose Harding over interest and/or offers from Division I programs.
In Harding's signature flexbone offense, you'll typically see three in the backfield, along with the quarterback, that consists of two slotbacks that are lined up on the outside hip of the offensive tackle or tight end, as well as the fullback directly behind the quarterback – that position is also referred to as the 'B-back'.
"There are serval things about this group (I could say), but we are more electric at slot than we have ever been," Simmons said following the national championship victory. "We have got about five guys who can take it to the house at anytime."
Harding finished first nationally in rushing offense with 6,160 yards, while Southern Nazarene (Okla.) was the next closest with 3,505 yards.
Elkins' Da'Shawn Chairs (5-8, 185) and Benton's Chris Barnard (5-9, 185) will add even more to that depth. Chairs was part of an Elkins offense in 2023 that was one of the best in the state regardless of classification, finishing with 1,704 yards and 35 touchdowns on 176 carries. He also hauled in 19 catches for 227 yards and 4 scores.
Barnard mostly played safety for Benton due to sharing a backfield with University of Arkansas signee Braylen Russell, but finished with 130 yards and 3 touchdowns last season while also averaging 33 yards per punt. Defensively, Barnard logged 83 total tackles and intercepted 5 passes.
Bo Williams (5-10, 190) just capped a historic tenure at Shiloh Christian, finishing his career as the school's all-time leader in rushing yards and touchdowns. Last season while helping the Saints to their fifth straight state finals, Williams rushed for 1,934 yards and 38 touchdowns, as well as 235 yards and 3 scores through the air. He will be utilized at the B-back position.
Starting quarterback Cole Keylon (Harrison) returns for his junior season, but the Bisons are bringing in two more signal callers; Rogers' Dane Williams (6-1, 220) and Fort Smith Southside's Carter Zimmerman (6-0, 175).
Zimmerman did confirm with SBLive Arkansas that he plans on staying at quarterback. He completed 58% of his passes last season for 1,755 yards and 15 touchdowns, while adding 670 yards and a score on 94 carries.
Dane Williams also plans on staying under center for now, but has proven ability on defense as a linebacker or safety, and he can also deep snap. In 2023, Williams completed 58% of his passes for 2,614 yards and 32 touchdowns, along with 309 yards and 6 scores on the ground.
If you do not block in the flexbone offense, you will not play, and the Bisons added some blockers with a mean streak in them.
The lone addition on the offensive line is White Hall's Landen Meredith (6-3, 295) who was the Bulldogs' "best interior player on both sides of the ball," per Bulldogs defensive coordinator Hunter Vincent. He graded out at a solid 92% last fall with 25 pancakes and collected 29 tackles, including 8 for loss, with 3 sacks on defense. Meredith was also a silver medalist on White Hall's 5A state championship weightlifting team.
Another prospect from Rogers, wide receiver Mabry Verser (6-4, 220), is an exceptional blocker who received rave reviews from Mounties head coach Chad Harbison.
"Mabry dominated for us blocking, as well as in yards after catch," Harbison said. "He was our best 'dude' and did a ton of things that do not show."
For the numbers that did appear on the stat sheet, Verser finished his senior year with 418 yards and 6 touchdowns on 28 catches.
Pocahontas' Reagan Womack (6-3, 260) lined up at running back frequently for the Redskins, rushing for 1,300 yards and 13 touchdowns in his prep career, but will play tight end in college. Womack also has experience playing quarterback, as well as defensive end and linebacker.
Harding came up just shy of finishing first in total defense, averaging 10.9 points per contest to Benedict (S.C.) College's 10.7.
Up front in the defensive trenches, the Bisons will add Benton end Peyton McNeely (6-2, 240), who finished his senior season with 49 tackles, including 8 for loss with seven sacks, plus forced two fumbles.
One of the somewhat surprising moves for some is Booneville's Dax Goff (6-1, 215) being recruited by the Bisons to play linebacker. Of course, the aforementioned immense depth at the running back positions could have something to do with that. Goff finished as one of the state's overall rushing leaders in 2023, compiling 2,691 yards and 39 scores. Defensively, Goff collected 75 tackles and he finished his illustrious prep career with 304 stops, including 5.5 sacks and 4 interceptions.
One specialist is also coming on board, long snapper Jack Edwards (5-11, 205), who was a part of Greenwood's 6A state championship team last season.
The Bisons are also bringing in University of Central Arkansas transfer, and Bentonville West alum, Braden Jones (5-11, 190). During his career for the Wolverines from 2020-22, Jones collected 350 tackles, including 12 sacks.
UPDATE: Since the publication of this article, SBLive Arkansas has been made aware of four additional in -state signees:
LB Landon Jones (6-0, 210) - Fayetteville
90 tkl, 30 tfl, 33 qb hurries, 1 FF, 1 FR, 3 pbu
OL Lucas McCain (6-4, 230) - Lake Hamilton
87% grade, 12 pancake blocks
DL Kaden Spencer (6-3, 230) - Fayetteville
92 tkl, 39 tfl, 10 sck, 30 qb hurries
K Griffin Thomas - Harding Academy
82-87 XP, 9-12 fg, long of 48, 58.1 kickoff average, long of 75, 87 touchbacks, 41.5 punting yards, long of 56
(Photo courtesy of the NCAA)
– Kyle Sutherland | @k_sutherlandAR
